A Healing Night
by pretty in orange
Summary: A sequel drabble to An Academy Night. Some nights are terrible for her, and Shuuhei knows this. But with the changes in their relationship, he wonders what he can do for her when she's so distant. ShuuMo.


A/N: Once again this is dedicated to/a gift fic for The Rish (Who needs to keep writing ShuuMo too). I hope everyone likes it! And yes, this is a sequel to An Academy Night. Set way later though.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. I make no profit off this.

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"You're staying the night?" Shuuhei eyed Momo as she sat on his bed and nodded. It wasn't unusual; after all, they had been together for more than a hundred years. But lately, after the winter war, she didn't seem to like being touched. Sure, she'd cuddle right up to him, but anything even vaguely sexual in nature and he was rebuffed. He hadn't even gotten so much as a kiss in the last month. Yes, he understood that she was traumatized from the winter war, but in the same vein, she wasn't even trying to let herself heal. Some nights he still caught her clutching the spot where Toshiro had accidentally stabbed her, whimpering. Some nights she murmured Aizen's name in her sleep, but it wasn't a loving, worried tone. It was fear that bled into that name... that cursed name. She knew. She knew that it had been his fault; both times that she was hurt now. But even though he was harmless now, she couldn't let it go.

"Thank you." Momo murmured, smiling up at him. "For letting me stay. I need company lately." She had bags under her eyes, and her hair was a mess, but she was just as beautiful as she'd always been.

"No problem." Shuuhei sat beside her, putting a gentle arm around her shoulders, but being careful not to let his hand stray from her arm. He'd been so careful not to ever push her, though the loss of intimacy in their relationship was frustrating. But he'd continue to be careful. He loved her more than anything, but this change was trying, especially after over a hundred years of being trusted and loved, he felt left out somehow with this huge conversion. Had she found someone else to talk to? After all, it wasn't just sexual intimacy that he was craving. He missed that she wasn't chattering on about anything and everything, he missed that she wasn't sharing her pain. He needed to be able to comfort her, both for her to feel better and for him to feel useful.

Momo's eyes were slipping shut as she leaned against him, and Shuuhei smiled slightly. At least she was sleeping. When she had been stabbed by Aizen the first time, Captain Unohana had been forced to put her on strong medications to get her to sleep, because Momo had been terrified. Half the time she hadn't even slept while on heavy doses of sleep medications unless Shuuhei was there. Shuuhei tucked her into bed and then started to change into a pair of lounge pants to sleep in. Hearing a slight whimper, he glanced over. There Momo was, clutching the spot where Toshiro's zanpakuto had pierced her chest, in a half-asleep state. She was shaking all over, and her lashes were wet.

"Momo." Shuuhei shook her gently. "Momo, shh." He climbed into bed with her, hugging her close. "I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere." His voice had lost its usual hard-edge, and he was all cuddles. When Momo looked up at him, she burst into tears, something she hadn't allowed herself to do for so long. Shuuhei instantly felt guilty for feeling so relieved. On one hand, she was crying, so if she let it all out, she'd likely feel better, but on the other hand, she was _crying_ and it put him in agony to see her so.

Nearly an hour later, all cried out, Momo still wasn't asleep. "Shuuhei?" She murmured, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Shuuhei knew damn well what was coming and he didn't want to hear it. "Sh." He shook his head. He didn't want her to say what she was about to. "Don't."

Momo looked away briefly, and then swallowed the apology down. Looking up at him, slowly, she pulled him down and gave him a sweet, if brief, kiss.

They both slept much better that night than they had in a month.

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A/N: Did you like it? Tell me what you think, please and thank you.


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